EP 05: Conversation Behind The Scenes with Kate Stock

How do you create photographs that feel less like postcards and more like personal works of art?

In this episode of Lensbaby Presents, host Liz Willson sits down with Australian Lensbaby Ambassador Kate Stock to explore creative photography, visual storytelling, chasing light, and learning to trust your artistic instincts.

Kate shares her journey from photographing her children and sunsets to creating impressionistic beach landscapes that invite viewers to pause, wonder, and form their own stories. She explains why she chooses blur over technical perfection, how she uses Lensbaby lenses such as the Soul 45, Edge 35, Edge 80, Sweet 35, Trio 28, and Double Glass II, and why she thinks of a Lensbaby lens as a creative friend rather than simply a tool.

This conversation is for photographers who want to break free from predictable images, embrace their environment, use light with intention, and create work that feels true to their own voice.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Kate Stock developed her creative photography style
• Why creative blur and selective focus can deepen visual storytelling
• How Lensbaby lenses help create expressive, impressionistic images
• Why light matters more than perfection in photography
• How to build confidence when your work does not fit conventional photography rules
• What Kate looks for when building a cohesive photography portfolio
• Why local camera clubs, competitions, printing, and community can help photographers grow
• How to use a wider aperture to create stronger Lensbaby effects
• Why photography is often better when you break the rules

Kate also shares her perspective on photographing the beach, creating images that leave room for the viewer’s imagination, and pursuing work that feels extraordinary rather than ordinary.

Subscribe for more conversations with photographers, artists, and visual storytellers who are finding new ways to shoot extraordinary.

Connect with Kate Stock:

Instagram: @soulimages

Instagram: @scapesbykate

Explore Lensbaby and save 10% with code PODCAST.

Chapters

00:00 Seeing Your Camera and Lens as a Creative Friend

05:24 Meet Kate Stock: Photographer and Lensbaby Ambassador

09:28 Discovering Lensbaby and Finding a Creative Voice

14:23 Camera Clubs, Competitions, and Artistic Confidence

24:02 Creating Photography Portfolios That Tell a Story

36:43 Kate’s Favorite Lensbaby Lenses and Creative Tools

43:19 Using Lens Choice, Aperture, and Light for Storytelling

52:00 Gallery Dreams, Breaking Rules, and Shooting Extraordinary

Connect with Elizabeth (Liz) Willson: 

Website: elizabethwillsonphotography.com

Instagram: @Elizabethwillsonphotography

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elizabethwillsonphotography

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